As Fox News' Bill Melugin reported last week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was asking for the FBI to allow state law enforcement to participate in the federal investigation into the shooting of a woman who tried to run down an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Melugin correctly noted that Minnesota is a sanctuary state that refuses to work with federal agents in arresting illegal aliens.
NEW: Sanctuary state governor Tim Walz is asking the Feds to allow his Minnesota state law enforcement to be part of the federal investigation into the deadly ICE shooting.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 8, 2026
Ironic, of course, given Minnesota does not cooperate with ICE.
"Let us be part of this," Walz said.
CNN reports that it's highly unusual that the feds are not letting the state be a part of this federal investigation:
Mutual distrust between federal and state authorities derailed plans for a joint FBI and state criminal investigation into Wednesday’s shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer, leading to the highly unusual move by the Justice Department to block state investigators from participating in the probe.
…
Behind the move to sever ties were concerns in the Trump administration that state officials couldn’t be trusted with information that emerges from the probe, and that ICE agents’ safety would be put at risk, including with potential doxxing of agents involved, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.
The mistrust goes both ways, as state officials attacked the conduct of ICE agents and raised concerns that federal authorities can’t be trusted to fairly investigate given public statements from President Donald Trump and other administration officials accusing the woman killed of being a domestic terrorist.
Michigan Law School professor Barb McQuade pointed out that Minnesota is a sovereign entity, and the feds have no right to freeze out state investigators.
The State of Minnesota is a separate sovereign, entitled to enforce its own laws. Feds are certainly entitled to conduct a parallel investigation, but not to freeze out state investigators. https://t.co/hel1r7H2fl
— Barb McQuade (@BarbMcQuade) January 11, 2026
Did Minnesota secede and just not tell anyone? https://t.co/GPYSIllLtZ
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) January 11, 2026
I still say it’s not too late to give Minnesota to Canada as punishment for both of them.
— March Flowers 🇺🇸 (@Marchflowers916) January 12, 2026
State investigators have no jurisdiction over federal agents, and the state itself has no lawful discretion to violate or impede the enforcement of federal immigration law.
— Jared Howe (@Jaredhowe) January 11, 2026
You're consistently wrong, but you've got spunk. Maybe someday you'll get something right.
— JWF (@JammieWF) January 12, 2026
The United States, of which Minnesota is a member, has authority over the state. Incredible that we have to point this out.
— 𝐿𝒾𝒻𝑒𝐿𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒫𝒶𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑜𝓉 (@LL_PATRIOT) January 11, 2026
If Minnesota is “separate and sovereign” then they don’t get Federal dollars.
— PNW Independent (@PNWindependant) January 12, 2026
How are you still employed? You’re pretty much the Jim Cramer of law professors.
— PhrogsPhorever (@DebateMaster114) January 12, 2026
Ohhh Barb, a separate sovereign? When did Minnesota secede from the Republic ?
— Neal Pinkston (@MNPinkston) January 12, 2026
Precisely wrong. Exactly clueless. Aggressively disingenuous.
— tipton cole (@tipton) January 11, 2026
Sounds like the state should be fine doing its own “parallel” investigation.
— HappyTraveler (@genkitraveler) January 12, 2026
The supremacy clause says that though they can perform whatever theater they wish, the outcome will be them pounding sand and looking proud about it.
— Danny Anderson (aka: Abuelo de la Spoopy) (@danander11) January 12, 2026
— Katie Yonke (@JKHomestead) January 11, 2026
Federal jurisdiction, dumbass. And you teach law?
— Red Dot in a Blue Dot in a Red State (@reddotaustintx) January 11, 2026
What specific federal law requires the federal government to conduct a joint investigation with state authorities or share evidence when a federal officer is involved?
— MakeMeThink🇺🇸 (@mae_kimberley) January 11, 2026
There isn't one
If Minnesota wants to secede, we'd be OK with that. Canada can have it.
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